Coated cable for a conveyor system

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for preparing coated cable for a cable conveyor system. The apparatus includes a stripping die, a swaging die, and a spacing fixture spaced from each other at a predetermined interval that corresponds to the spacing interval between discs in a cable conveyor system. The apparatus facilitates the method of stripping a section of coating from the coated cable, and securing a barrel to the cable over the stripped section. The barrel acts as an attachment point for molded discs carried on the cable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of cable conveyors, and moreparticularly to an apparatus and method for preparing coated cable forsecure attachment of conveyor discs.

Description of the Related Art

Cables, due to their flexibility, have been used in conveyance systemsfor some time. The usual cable conveyance system comprises an endlesscable having disc members or buttons attached thereto at even intervalsand having a diameter slightly smaller than a conduit through which thecable and button assembly is pulled.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,725, which is hereby incorporated by reference, adrive unit for a cable conveyor is disclosed, having an improved designallowing the driving wheel to be disposed within the material beingconveyed.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,136, which is hereby incorporated by reference, achannel housing is disclosed to replace cable tensioning devices used inprevious cable conveyor systems.

In U.S. Pat No. 4,391,361, which is hereby incorporated by reference, animproved hold-down apparatus for cable conveyors is disclosed.

In each of these examples, the discs are attached to the cable by swagedbarrels and are subject to forces that may displace the disc from itsproper location on the cable. Barrels are typically attached over thecoating on a coated cable, and rely solely on the frictional forcebetween the cable coating and the compressed barrel, and between thecompressed coating and the cable for their secure attachment.

The coating under the compressed barrel makes the assembly moresusceptible to temperature increases as the coating materials willbecome weakened at elevated temperatures and decrease the overall forceneeded to displace the disc. Once a disc becomes displaced the cable canthen self destruct causing damage not only to itself but the drivemechanism as well.

As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed alongstanding need for a new and improved apparatus and method forpreparing coated cable for a cable conveyor system and the provision ofsuch is a stated objective of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, the present invention provides an apparatus and methodfor preparing coated cable for a cable conveyor system. The apparatusincludes a stripping die, a swaging die, and a spacing fixture spacedfrom each other at a predetermined interval that corresponds to thespacing interval between discs in a cable conveyor system. The apparatusfacilitates the method of stripping a section of coating from the coatedcable, and securing a barrel to the cable over the stripped section. Thebarrel acts as an attachment point for molded discs carried on thecable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other attributes of the invention will become more clear upona thorough study of the following description of the best mode forcarrying out the invention, particularly when reviewed in conjunctionwith the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the apparatus and method of thepresent invention, wherein the coated cable is first positioned in theapparatus to strip off a section of coating;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the next stepwherein the cable is advanced to the left and a metal barrel ispositioned over the stripped portion of the cable;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the next stepwherein the metal barrel is swaged to secure it to the cable;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the next stepwherein the cable is again advanced to the left, and the swaged barrelis positioned in a spacing fixture;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the swaging die;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the step of cutting thecoating from a section of the coated cable;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 6, but showing the coatingremoved;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 7, showing the barrelpositioned over the stripped portion of the cable;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the barrelswaged; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a disc molded to the cable overthe swaged barrel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As can be seen by reference to the drawings, and in particularly to FIG.1, the apparatus for preparing coated cable for a cable conveyor systemis designated generally by the reference numeral (10).

The apparatus (10) includes a cable coating stripping die (20), a barrelswaging die (40), and a spacing fixture (60). The stripping die (20),swaging die (40), and spacing fixture (60) are spaced from each other ata predetermined interval (70) (FIG. 4) that corresponds to the spacinginterval between discs (80) in a cable conveyor system.

The apparatus (10) facilitates the practice of the method of the presentinvention which is illustrated in FIGS. 6-9, and includes the steps ofstripping a section (11) of coating (12) from a coated cable (13)leaving a bare section of wire cable, and securing a metal barrel (16)to the bare cable (14). Also, FIG. 8 shows that the end portions of thebarrel (16) extend over portions (15) of the coated cable (13) adjacentthe bare wire cable (14). As shown in FIG. 10, the barrel (16) acts asan attachment base between the coated cable (13) and a disc (80) that ismolded on the coated cable (13).

The discs (80) are molded after all the barrels (16) are swaged, andthis would be true on short lengths of cable. About 20 feet of cable hasbarrels (16) attached prior to the cable reaching the molding machine.If the cable is 20 feet or shorter, it would all be swaged and then ranthrough the disc molding machine. If it is longer than 20 feet, which isthe case 95% of the time, they are done together. The swaging process ismuch faster so lengths of cable can be swaged ahead, but the whole cableis not swaged and run through the disc molding machine separately.

As best shown in FIGS. 1-5, coated cable (13) is fed into the apparatus(10) from left to right. The stripping die (20), the swaging die (40),and the spacing fixture all operate simultaneously, once the initialsection (11) of coating (12) is stripped and the initial barrel (16) isswaged.

The operation of the stripping die (20) is generally described in thefollowing sequence of operations.

The die (20) is open and the coated cable (13) is loaded into the bottomhalf die locators (21). As the die (20) begins to close, the toplocators (22) meet against the bottom locators (21) trapping the coatedcable (13) between both locators (21) and (22). The die (20) continuesto close, and as it does the coated cable (13) is guided down into thedie (20) by the locators (21) and (22). As the die (20) closes the cablecoating (12) is cut. The die (20) is now closed and the cable coating(12) has been fully severed. Air cylinders fire separating the topslides (24). The slides (24) pull the cable coating (12) with theirtooth/teeth as they open. Air cylinders fire separating the bottomslides (26) from underneath the coated cable (13). This helps separatethe coating (12) from the cable wire (14) and allows a place for thewaste coating (12) to go. An air cylinder fires pulling on the toplocators (24). As the top locators (24) go up the springs in the bottomlocators (26) push them up and the cable wire (14) is pulled with them.This separates the coating (13) from the cable wire (14). The die (20)then returns to the top position and the air cylinders are returned totheir start positions.

After the initial section (11) of coating (12) is stripped to expose asection of wire cable (14) (FIGS. 1, 6 and 7), the coated cable (13) isadvanced to the left and a metal barrel (16) is placed in position overthe stripped section (11) on the swaging die (40) (FIGS. 2 and 5). Thebarrel (16) is then held in position by the bottom and top locators(41), (42) and swaged to secure it to the wire cable (14) (FIGS. 3 and9), while the stripping die (20) simultaneously operates to cut thecoating (12) at the predetermined interval (70) to the right.

After the initial barrel (16) is swaged, the coated cable (13) is againadvanced to the left, and the barrel (16) is placed in the spacingfixture (60) (FIG. 4), and the process continues.

The process of removing the coating from underneath where the cablebarrel goes is critical in producing a superior cable conveyor product.By removing a small strip of coating (12) under the barrel (16), theforce it takes to displace the disc (80) from its proper location on thecoated cable (13) is greatly increased. Applying the barrel (16) overthe top of the coating (12) relies solely on the frictional forcebetween the cable coating and the compressed barrel, and between thecompressed coating and the cable under pressure of the compressed barrel(16). Removing the coating (12) allows for the barrel (16) to actuallybite on the metal of the wire rope (14) giving a consistent gripstrength and a higher overall grip strength than relying on a barrel(16) over the coated cable (13). Leaving this coating (12) under thebarrel (16) makes the assembly more susceptible to temperature increasesas the coating materials (12) will become weakened at elevatedtemperatures and decrease the overall force needed to displace the disc(80). Once a disc (80) becomes displaced the cable can then selfdestruct causing damage not only to itself but the drive mechanism aswell.

A portion of the coating (12) under the barrel (16) is left on so thateven though the coating is cut into many little sections, the barrel(16) helps retain the coating (12) in place and also seals out foreignmaterial as well as keeping the needed lubrication inside. For example,barrels (16) are ½″ long, so only ⅜″ of coating (12) is removed, leaving1/16″ of coating (12) inside of each end of the barrel (16).

The apparatus of the present invention makes it possible to use themethod in a cost effective, efficient and precise manner. By removingthe coating (12), applying the barrel (16) and then molding the disc(80) over the barrel (16) the exact placement of each of these membersis accomplished, which is critical to the proper function of the cableconveying system. Also removing the coating (12) while not damaging thewire rope (14) that lays underneath is of utmost importance to retainthe integrity of the flexible member.

The apparatus and method of the present invention allows a coated cable(13) solution that has a much higher maximum disc adhesion which allowsa more reliable and totally sealed assembly. The speed and accuracy ofthe apparatus contributes to the feasibility of the method and allows acost competitive, superior product.

Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has beendescribed in detail above, those skilled in the art will readilyappreciate that many modifications are possible without materiallydeparting from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention.Accordingly all such modifications are intended to be included withinthe scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A coated cable for a cable conveyor system,comprising: a section wherein the coating is stripped from the coatedcable, the stripped section having a predetermined length; and a barrelsecured to the cable over the stripped section.
 13. The cable of claim12, wherein the barrel has a length greater that the length of thestripped section.
 14. The cable of claim 13, wherein end portions of thebarrel extend over portions of the coated cable adjacent to the strippedsection.
 15. The cable of claim 12, wherein the barrel is secured to thecable by swaging.
 16. The cable of claim 15, wherein the swaged barrelhas enlarged ends.
 17. The cable of claim 16, further including anenlarged disc secured to the cable over the barrel.
 18. The cable ofclaim 12, further including: a subsequent section wherein the coating isstripped from the coated cable, wherein an interval between the firstand subsequent sections is a predetermined length; and a subsequentbarrel secured to the cable over the subsequent stripped section.